What's a Holiday Without a Little Chaos?
by texashoser
Summary: It can't be a holiday at Ghostbusters Central without something going wrong. Beware of fireworks.


Warning: There are more sexual innuendos and double meaning sentences than you can shake a stick at.

* * *

Dr. Venkman groaned and rolled over in his bed when he heard a loud alarm. Peter wasn't quite sure where the noise was coming from, but the psychologist didn't care. It was Sunday as well as Independence Day and he felt that gave him the right to sleep in as late as he wanted without interruption. He pulled the covers over his head and drifted back into his dream that included Julia Roberts, a ukulele and for some a reason a peacock.  
  
"Peter, wake up." Someone shook him by the shoulder.  
  
"No," Dr. Venkman muttered. "Go away."  
  
"Peter, come on. It's important."  
  
"So is my sleep," Peter replied. "Leave me alone." The psychologist's covers were taken off him revealing his skimpy heart boxers. He curled up and attempted to stay asleep.  
  
"Guys, just leave him," a gentle woman's voice said. "I'll go with you."  
  
"Yeah, take Dani," Peter mumbled in agreement.  
  
"You all are such wimps," a new voice commented. "I'll wake him."  
  
"AHHHH!" Dr. Venkman yelled as he quickly scrambled out of bed. The Ghostbuster was completely drenched as was his bed. He glared at his attacker. "That wasn't nice."  
  
"Serves you right," Janine told him. "You aren't going to get away with doing nothing today."  
  
"But it's a federal holiday," Dr. Venkman replied. "It's a holiday and a Sunday. I deserve my sleep just like everyone else."  
  
"I think something might disagree about what day it is," the redhead retorted as she glanced at his waist area a moment than gave Peter a sly look. "Looks like six more weeks of the idiot." Dr. Venkman looked down than grabbed a blanket off Egon's bed and wrapped it around his waist.  
  
"C'mon, Janine, we still have a lot of work before Erin and Sarah get here," Dani said. "Let's leave Peter alone for a moment." She gave the psychologist a slightly apologetic look than whispered into Ray's ear. The engineer went a bit pink and the two women walked out of the bunkroom.  
  
"What did she say to you?" Peter asked.  
  
"Nothing," Ray answered.  
  
"You don't turn pink over nothing."  
  
"It's private," Dr. Stantz told him. "Something you don't need to know. Or you might already know. I don't know what you talk to Erin about." The brown haired Ghostbuster gave his friend a look before turning to Egon.  
  
"And how could you?" Dr. Venkman inquired. The physicist returned it with a confused expression.  
  
"How could I what?"  
  
"First let Janine douse me in freezing water than make fun of my..." Peter shifted uncomfortably. "You know. And that always happens in cold water."  
  
"I'm sorry, Peter, but we were having a rather difficult time waking you," Egon responded.  
  
"It doesn't matter, Pete," Winston interjected. "It's not like we'll tell Erin."  
  
"Yeah, but Janine and Dani might," Peter whined.  
  
"Forget about it," Winston told him. Zeddemore grabbed him by the shoulder and began steering him towards the bathroom. "Now go take a shower and get ready. We have a job. And as soon as we get back we can enjoy the holiday."  
  
"Okay," Dr. Venkman muttered and went into the bathroom. He closed the door and Winston looked at his friends.  
  
"Next time let's just leave him," Winston said. "It's getting to be just as much work to wake him as it is to bust a simple Class Four."  
  
"Quite right."  
  
"Yeah."

* * *

"Erin, grab the potato salad from the fridge," Dani told her friend as she, the film teacher and Janine worked on the food for later.  
  
Sarah, Winston's new friend, but a woman Peter called Winston's girlfriend much to the chagrin of Zeddemore, had opted to start getting the roof set up with chairs, a few tables, the BBQ pit and a few other items. Janine had told her no to but not unlike the other woman who were also a bit hard- headed and determined when they decided to get something done they did it even if it meant doing it themselves. Often they could tell this annoyed their boyfriends, but the guys weren't always around to do certain things and the girls were often left to do it themselves.  
  
"Where is it?" Erin asked, peering inside the fridge.  
  
"It's in the bowl marked molds," Dani answered.  
  
"Dani, that's disgusting," Janine told the blonde. "I'm not eating it."  
  
"If it makes you feel any better I thoroughly washed it in scalding hot water," Dani replied. "I used the bowl so nobody would eat it before they should."  
  
"I think someone tried," Erin interjected after taking the lid off the bowl. She peered inside seeing a green substance covering the top of the potato salad. The other two glanced at it.  
  
"That's not ectoplasm," Janine stated.  
  
"It's mold," Dani said with disgust. "Egon probably didn't realize what he was doing." She sighed. "Throw it out."  
  
"You can always make more," Janine told her.  
  
"I didn't make it," Egon's cousin responded. "Well, I did, but not without a lot of help from Peter's dad.  
  
"What?" The redhead gave her a surprised look. "You called Dr. V.'s dad to make a potato salad?"  
  
"No. That would be silly. I barely know the man. He called the other day looking for Peter who wasn't here because he was out with Erin. We ended up talking and somehow I ended up with a delicious potato salad."  
  
"How is Peter's dad?" Erin asked.  
  
"He's good. He was in Japan trying to recreate Lost in Translation." The blonde got two blank looks for a moment before the women broke into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" They turned to see Sarah coming into the kitchen. She was using a towel to dry her hair. There were also remains of green ectoplasm on her shirt.  
  
"It's about Peter's dad." An eyebrow went up on the woman's face. "Uh, what happened to you?"  
  
"Him," the woman simply said and pointed up. The others looked up to see Slimer bobbing along eating raw hot dogs from an opened package. "He's worse than some dogs. He ate everything in the cooler."  
  
"There's more where that came from," Janine said. "We've learned to buy extra."  
  
"Slimer just seems to do more harm than good," Erin commented. "I still have a hard time understanding why everyone puts up with him."  
  
"Peter's been complaining about him again, hasn't he?" Dani asked. The brunette just gave her a look.  
  
"Scientific value according to Egon," Janine told her. "That and the fact he's helped out the guys in a few tight spots."  
  
"Those might be good reasons," Sarah replied. "I'm just glad I don't have to spend any more time than I already do with him. Coming to the firehouse and having my food disappear as I'm trying to eat it is already more than I can deal with."  
  
"You aren't getting off that easy," Erin commented. "He might leave you alone in the beginning, but after that it's all downhill. He'll start showing up on dates."  
  
"In your bed," Dani added.  
  
"Rather than go into a long list," Janine said. "You're screwed, Sarah. Once you and Winston want more alone time is when Slimer will start popping up." The dark-haired woman glanced up at the green blob.  
  
"I've had to deal with worse."

* * *

"I knew I should have stayed over with Erin at her place last night." Dr. Venkman's sour mood from being rudely woken up was still resonating as Ecto pulled up to the firehouse. The psychologist had his right arm leaning against the front passenger window, his hand balled up into a fist and propped up against his cheek. Winston put a finger to the button located to the right of the steering wheel giving his friend a glance.  
  
"At least you weren't slimed," the eldest Ghostbuster told him. A sly smirk slid across Peter's face with him turning his head towards the back of the converted hearse and glancing at Dr. Stantz.  
  
"That is so very true. The universe was definitely on my side today."  
  
"It certainly wasn't with you this morning," Ray shot back. Peter stuck one slime-covered boot out of the car once it came to a stop in the garage, his back to the occultist shutting his door as he spoke.  
  
"Well, what can I say, Ray? I guess not getting slimed was the universes way of making up for this morning's incident."  
  
"Unfortunately, Peter, with the universe shaped as it is your karma shall return to you just as unpleasant as before. This is merely a reprieve for the time being," Dr. Spengler told the psychologist, pushing his sliding glasses back up. Peter gave the physicist a hurt look.  
  
"Thanks for ruining it for me, Spengs. At least Erin knows what to say to me." Dr. Spengler simply shook his head as he and Winston made their way down to the basement.  
  
"I actually get to claim the shower first," Ray said as he and Peter headed upstairs.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Peter mumbled. He watched the engineer go off to the bunkroom than looked around before sneaking into the kitchen. The psychologist scanned the counter lined with food the girls had been preparing while they had been gone. He spotted a large bowl on the counter holding a new batch of potato salad. Peter took off the lid and stuck a finger into the bowl. He had barely taken the potato salad covered finger out of the bowl when a feminine hand gently smacked his.  
  
"Hey! What's the big idea? I'm..." he began to say. He realized who the hand belonged to as he turned around. "Oh, hi, Erin." The film instructor had her arms folded and was tapping an impatient foot.  
  
"And just what do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Aw, come on babe, I'm starving. I barely got anything to eat this morning," Dr. Venkman told her. "I just wanted a little something." He smiled. "Maybe I'll just nibble on you a bit." Peter put a hand around her waist and pulled her close. He nuzzled her neck a bit before beginning to kiss her neck.  
  
"Peter," Erin giggled. She wanted to push him away, but it felt nice and let herself get in lost in the feeling as she closed her eyes.  
  
"Just dump some cold water on it and your problem will be solved." Erin opened her eyes slowly to see Dr. Stantz walk into the kitchen. Peter stopped kissing her and looked at his friend.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Ray," Peter said. "Can you drop it now?"  
  
"Is this about what happened this morning?" Erin asked. Her boyfriend groaned and released her. "What?"  
  
"Janine and Dani told you what happened, that's what's wrong," Dr. Venkman replied. He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter with a dejected look on his face. "I can't have my girlfriend know about my embarrassing moments."  
  
"Does it help if I say I don't care?" Erin inquired.  
  
"I guess a little."  
  
"Okay. Does it help if I do this?" The brunette leaned towards him and began to passionately kiss the man. Ray groaned than noticed his girlfriend come into the kitchen. The engineer grabbed her by the shoulder and dunked her into a tango like motion.  
  
"What...?" Dani didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as the Ghostbuster laid a nice kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up. They continued their kiss. Neither pairs noticed Dr. Spengler enter the kitchen. He raised his brow at the sight that laid before him.  
  
"Honestly, people," Egon muttered. He cleared his throat loudly and everyone broke apart looking both embarrassed and rather happy. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Janine sent me in here to take some of the food to the roof. Winston has started the grill..."  
  
"Aw, man," Ray said. "I was going to try out my new little toy. It's supposed to speed up the process."  
  
"No new toys, Ray," Peter told him. "I'd like to enjoy the rest of the day rather than fix a crater in the ceiling. I've done that to many times. What do I look like? A professional roofer?"  
  
"It's perfectly safe," Dr. Stantz replied. "I'll go get it." Dani rolled her eyes and looked at her cousin.  
  
"Thanks a whole lot, Egon," she said. "We were perfectly fine. You could have grabbed the food and gone up there yourself. I was actually having a nice time. It's a holiday. That's what you're supposed to do."  
  
"My nice time was ruined this morning," Peter informed her. "Of course, you already knew that being a witness."  
  
"Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?" Erin asked.  
  
"No," Peter quickly answered. "I merely meant that my day started off bad." He looked at Dani and Egon for a little help. They started picking up some of bowls of food lying on the counter. "You know I always have a nice time with you." Erin gave him a look. Peter laughed nervously. "I love you?"

* * *

"You know that's barely cooked," Winston told Sarah as she took a hamburger off the grill. "It's still probably pretty pink inside." She gave him a small, almost seductive smile that made Winston's knees feel kinda weak.  
  
"I like to live on the edge."  
  
"It's an interesting place to visit," Winston replied. He turned his focus on the woman soaking in everything about her. Her deep brown eyes and long dark hair and how she managed to still look gorgeous in jeans and a t- shirt. She was more fun to look at than the hamburger patties and hot dogs on the grill.  
  
"You really should really visit more often," the woman said with an emphasis on the word 'visit'. "Maybe we could make the trips a bit more permanent."  
  
"That would be nice," Winston responded. "I'd like to make the trips longer."  
  
"Okay, we get it," Janine interjected as she nearly stepped between the two. "Congratulations. Now stop letting the food burn." Zeddemore turned back to the grill.  
  
"Aw, damn," he muttered. "Sarah, hand me a plate." Setting her own down the woman grabbed a larger plate. The Ghostbuster quickly flipped over a few of the burgers than stuck them on the plate with the blackened hot dogs. "I hope everyone likes Cajun style."  
  
"Oh, you're done," Ray said as he approached the grill. "I wanted to try out my new invention." The engineer pulled a familiar object out of his back pocket. Winston gave him a look. The auburn haired man held a lighter with a long end in his hand.  
  
"You can't be serious, Ray. We already have one of those."  
  
"This one's different. It's a little more powerful."  
  
"Don't let him try it out, Winston," Dani told him from across the roof. She and Egon were setting out the food from the kitchen. An upset looking Erin came out after them and walked to the other side of Dani. She whispered something into the blonde's ear as a slightly dejected Peter came out to the roof as well. Dani quickly said something back before continuing. "Remember the coffee pot?"  
  
"You weren't here for that," Dr. Stantz said.  
  
"But she's heard the stories," Janine pointed out.  
  
"The coffee was so strong it almost killed us," Peter added.  
  
"That's not going to happen this time," Ray argued. "This just speeds up the cooking process on the grill. You get a really good flame that gives you an instant well done steak, burger or whatever." He grabbed the burger off Sarah's plate.  
  
"Hey," she protested. "I was eating that." Ray looked at her and went a bit pink.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I thought it hadn't been cooked yet." He started to put it back.  
  
"No. It's alright you can keep it. I'll just have a Cajun style one." She picked up one of the burgers off the plate Winston had set the burnt food on and began to munch on it with a slightly displeased look on her face.  
  
"That'll happen a lot now," Janine whispered. "Don't say we didn't warn you." Winston gave the redhead a look and she merely smiled.  
  
"Alright, everyone watch this." Dr. Stantz put the burger on the grill and everyone around it quickly moved to the other side of the roof. The youngest Ghostbuster looked back at them. "What?" Nobody seemed to want to say anything.  
  
"It's better to watch a masterpiece being created far away rather than next to the artist. That way there's less pressure," Erin piped up. Everyone mumbled in agreement.  
  
"Okay," Ray said with a shrug. He stuck the lighter next to the grill.  
  
"Oh, God, I can't watch," Dani whispered and buried her face into Egon's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about," Egon told her as he absentmindedly patted her on the shoulder. Just as he finished his sentence the young woman felt an intense heat followed by an immediate drop in temperature than it began to rain.

* * *

"Well, it was a super powered coffee pot, but it worked just the same," Peter commented as he grabbed another slice of his pineapple pizza.  
  
"Shut up, Peter," Ray mumbled.  
  
The group ended up having to move their July 4th celebration into the firehouse living room where pizza boxes were strewn everywhere. The television was on a fireworks show in another city after New York had been hit by a mysterious rain. According to Egon, Ray's failed experiment with his improved lighter caused a sudden change in atmospheric pressure over the city that caused a storm along with a sudden rush to the emergency room. The young man was only slightly singed, but would remain rather pink and eyebrowless for a while.  
  
"Play nice," Dani warned. "You want anymore of your smoothie, Ray?" He nodded and his girlfriend helped him with the drink.  
  
"At least we're together," Winston pointed out. He moved closer to Sarah who sat on the floor next to him in front of the couch where Ray laid.  
  
"It's definitely been interesting," Sarah commented.  
  
"You should be here around one of the more major holidays," Janine said from her spot in Egon's lap. The physicist in the armchair put a hand over her mouth and gave Sarah an apologetic look.  
  
"I'm sorry. Ocassionally Janine says things she possibly shouldn't," Egon told her. "Ow!" He pulled his hand away. "I was kidding, honey. I believe you told me to lighten up."  
  
"Good job, Spengs," Dr. Venkman commented from his spot on the floor in front of the armchair his girlfriend sat in. He didn't notice one of Erin's dangling feet began to curl itself around his neck. "Hey." He tickled the bottom of her heel and she quickly pulled away. Peter glanced up at the woman. "I thought we made up. Didn't that bouquet of flowers at the hospital help?"  
  
"The card said 'Get well soon', Peter. Though the flowers were nice," Erin replied. "I'm just not completely..." A small smirk slid up her face, "...well."  
  
"I just happen to be a doctor who makes house calls," Peter said as he scrambled to his feet. "Shall we go?"  
  
"I'm already gone." The brunette headed out of the living room with Peter behind, but he stopped suddenly and went back to the coffee table. He grabbed the pizza box containing the rest of the pineapple pizza. "Peter!"  
  
"Coming!" He shouted back. The psychologist glanced at his friends. "I want to pop some of my own fireworks tonight."  
  
"I hope they aren't duds," Janine retorted. Egon almost covered her mouth again, but stopped with a glare from the woman. Peter ran out of the room.  
  
"Uh, you know I think I should head home myself," Sarah said as she stood up. Winston leaped to his feet as well.  
  
"I'll take you," Winston offered. "Because it's raining and the trip would be nice."  
  
"Just go," Dani said. "Everyone gets it. You really stink at being subtle."  
  
"Alright, bye," Winston told them.  
  
"Bye," Sarah added. "Thanks for everything." She looked at Ray. "I hope you feel better soon."  
  
"Thanks," he responded. "I'm sorry about the burger. I owe you one." The woman laughed.  
  
"I like 'em rare."  
  
"I think I can do that." Ray's girlfriend groaned.  
  
"Later, guys," Winston said. He and Sarah left with a wave. The remaining people looked at each other.  
  
"We could play Parcheesi," Egon suggested. His cousin blew a raspberry. He glanced at her. "Very mature. I suppose you have a better idea."  
  
"No. I just felt like doing that," she replied. "And anything I wanted to do would involve going outside and possibly doing my own version of a classic movie."  
  
"Why?" Dr. Spengler inquired.  
  
"Because I can," the blonde answered. Egon gave her a look Spock would envy.  
  
"Let's just find something better to watch," Janine said as she got out of Egon's lap. "This has gotten pretty boring." The redhead went over to the movie shelf.  
  
"Grab Star Wars," Ray told her. "One of the original ones though."  
  
"No. Go for comedy," Dani chimed in. "Let's watch Blazing Saddles."  
  
"I believe The Ascent of Man would be an excellent choice."  
  
"Well, it's not any of those," Janine said as she opened a DVD case and hid the cover. She stuck the CD in than set down the case and picked up the remote. Dani and Egon got a look at the case than shivered in horror.  
  
"What is it?" Ray asked.  
  
"Titanic," the two blondes answered.  
  
"You know that oatmeal bath the doctor suggested is sounding really good right now," Dr. Stantz said.  
  
"I'll help you with that," Dani offered. They started moving out of the room as fast as the engineer could in his condition.  
  
"Perhaps I should go run some calculations I've been meaning to do," Egon said. His girlfriend looked at him. "I, uh, must forsee any danger to make the proper precautions."  
  
"Okay," she said in a small voice. The scientist hurried out of the room. "There's no way I'm watching Titanic either. I don't need to watch three hours of people being whiny. I get enough of that here." The familiar theme from Star Wars came from the television. "At least now I'll actually get to watch one of these without someone making more noise than the light saber battle." 


End file.
